Star Fox: Vendetta
by FoxRocks
Summary: Fox McCloud, former leader of the Star Fox team, is determined to discover and catch the murderer of his deceased girlfriend Krystal. Through chases, fights, and secrets revealed, Fox must undergo his most challenging adventure ever in my latest Star Fox story. Please enjoy!
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

There were five cars altogether. Four of them were filled with gunmen determined to catch the fifth. Laser-fire flew through the sky past the cars, all directed at one car. This was Fox McCloud's car.

Fox swerved his car in all directions to narrowly avoid the lasers. The guards didn't give him a chance to rest; they continued shooting their blasters as fast as they could. Fox stomped on the accelerator as hard as possible, speeding ahead of his pursuers. The henchmen attempted to do the same.

They were driving in a barren, desert-like area on Planet Katina. This was where many army groups from Planet Corneria made base. The road stretch was about to come to an end, leading to a mountain area. As the five cars turned onto the road beside the mountain, a police car came into view behind them.

The closest car to the police vehicle stomped on the breaks, causing the police car to run into its back. Due to the violent impact, the two cars flew over the side of the mountain to their demises. Fox looked behind him to observe the damage; three cars followed him now.

Fox grabbed his blaster from the passenger seat, and took aim from out the window. He sent laser-fire into the car directly behind him, shattering the window and hitting the driver in the arm. Clutching onto his injured place, the driver let go of the wheel, flying the car straight off the cliff to join the other two.

With two cars remaining, Fox drove as quickly and efficiently as he could manage. More laser fire hit Fox's back window, destroying the glass and hitting the back seats. After driving through the mountain area more, the three cars eventually made it back onto a safe road on the ground.

Fox looked into his mirror, and witnessed his pursuers switching from their blasters to machine guns. A huge barrage of laser-fire appeared all around Fox's car. Following the first wave, Fox suddenly swerved his car off the road, and hit the breaks.

Just as planned, Fox was now behind his enemies. A guard in the passenger seat ahead of him spun around to start shooting at Fox's car. Before any of the lasers could hit him, Fox sent his own laser-fire into the vehicle's tires. Fox sped ahead when the enemy's vehicle could no longer move thanks to the deflation of the tires.

Now Fox was trailing behind the final car; traffic was ahead. The final enemy car slowed down to come side-to-side with Fox. The enemy slammed his car into Fox's, sending him close to a nearby civilian's car. Now Fox and the enemy were weaving through the traffic while fighting, about to go into a tunnel up ahead.

Many of the nearby cars slowed down in awe of the spectacle. Fox retaliated against the enemy, swerving his own car into it. The enemy's car scrapped against the tunnel's wall, sending sparks flying into random directions on the road. Fox pulled out his blaster again, shooting at the car's door.

Before it could melt more, the enemy kicked the door down, sending the broken vehicle part into a civilian's car. The enemy, a red-faced monkey, jumped into Fox's car after opening the door. After enduring a few punches, Fox came back with a strong kick at the monkey's jaw. The enemy flew back into his car, landing next to the driver. Fox thought of an idea to finish the final pursuer.

Waiting for the enemy car to hit back, Fox began to drive away from it. Once this was seen by the enemies, the driver swerved his car at Fox's. This time, however, Fox was too quick. Fox sped ahead of him, and instead the enemy slammed hard into a tank truck filled with gasoline. A massive explosion filled the tunnel, Fox having just escaped the fiery inferno.

Fortunately, not many civilians had been in the tunnel at the time; the ones behind came to a complete stop, and the police would arrive soon after. Fox grinned to himself, happy to have won out the chase. He slowly drove his car to its destination, a Cornerian Army Base garage.

The building was a navy blue hangar, with the famous Cornerian Army logo printed on it: a blue globe with red stars. Fox drove his car into the garage that opened and closed for him accordingly. Once shut, the area was completely dark, with the exception of the lights in Fox's car.

Fox jumped out, landing on the cement ground. He was average in height, had emerald eyes, wore dark green pants and shirt, and had red boots as well as a white jacket. He kept this uniform since his days as the leader of the Star Fox team.

Fox slowly walked over to the back door, throwing it open. In the backseat was a distraught Andrew Oikonny, carrying a dazed expression on his ugly face; he wore a red and gray uniform. Fox grabbed the monkey by his shirt collar violently.

"Are you ready to get out?" Fox asked with a sardonic grin.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Blinding lights suddenly appeared everywhere; someone had turned on the switch. There were three chairs and a table across from Fox's car. On the opposite side, Bill Grey came walking towards Fox and Oikonny. Bill was a bulldog dressed in white and green; he was a Cornerian Army General and a longtime friend of Fox's.

"I see you managed to catch him," Bill acknowledged Oikonny.

"Not easily," replied Fox. "He had guards ready when I abducted him from his lake house."

"Oh…" Bill said, inspecting the damage dealt to Fox's car.

"Shall we begin?" Fox asked.

"Yes," Bill agreed.

Bill walked over to sit in one of the chairs, while Fox slammed Oikonny's body onto another. Filling in the remaining seat, Fox sat down between the two. There was a Cornerian Army guard standing against the wall near them as well.

"It took a while to hunt you down, Oikonny," Fox began.

"Would you please just tell me why I'm here?!" Oikonny finally spoke.

"We're asking the questions, you ignorant ape!" Fox retorted.

"First of all, why are you on Katina?" Bill asked. "You scarcely leave Corneria.

"So you're interrogating me?" Oikonny spat. "I'm insulted."

Fox aimed his blaster at Oikonny's temple. "Let's not add injury to that."

Having a gun a foot away from him, Oikonny decided he would talk. "I was just visiting my lake house here, taking a break!"

"That's not the whole truth," Fox immediately replied.

"It's the truth! I swear!" Oikonny cried.

"Who killed her, Oikonny?!" Fox suddenly shouted.

A few months ago, Fox led the Star Fox team, a group of hired mercenaries created to keep peace in the Lylat System. The team had disbanded when Fox was going to settle down with his long-time girlfriend, Krystal, a former member of the team. Just a few weeks ago, she never returned home one night; the next thing everyone knew, she had been killed. Fox's sole reason to live was to track down the perpetrator…

"What are you talking about?" Oikonny shrugged.

"You know darn well what I'm talking about!" Fox snapped. "Who murdered Krystal?!"

Oikonny's sullen expression suddenly turned into a mischievous grin. "Ah, your little girlfriend?"

"WHO DID IT?!" Fox demanded again.

"What makes you think I know?" Oikonny replied.

"The Cornerian Army received numerous reliable tips you have information about what happened," Fox answered. "I know you know, Oikonny. Talk!"

Oikonny threw his hands up. "Look, I don't know, but I can tell you who might know…"

Suddenly, the guard behind them seemed to double his interest.

"Star Wolf would kn-"

Before Oikonny could finish, laser-fire hit his arm. The monkey fell backwards in his chair on the ground. Fox looked quickly to find the Cornerian Army guard running in the direction of the exit. Out of instinct, Bill and Fox ran after the guard.

Once they exited the hangar, they could see the guard running around the compound; the hangar they had just been in was surrounded by many others. Fox turned to face Bill.

"I want you to get to somewhere safe; I'm going after this guy. We can't trust anyone else right now," Fox said to Bill.

Bill nodded, running to another hangar. Fox returned his attention to the running guard, now pursuing the traitor. It was hard to keep up with him, as the guard was quite fast.

Fox turned a corner to where he thought he would find the guard. He didn't see him anywhere… Suddenly, Fox was kicked in the back. Jumping back to his feet immediately, Fox saw the guard running away from him again.

Fox took out his blaster, shooting laser-fire at the guard's legs. The guard was able to outrun the blaster, the laser-fire finding only the dirt-caked ground. Fox took off after the guard again, running at full speed.

Once he was able to catch up to him, the two engaged in combat. The guard tried kicking again, which Fox was able to dodge. Fox took the guard's head and slammed it into the wall of a nearby hangar. Dazed from the blow, the guard was taken advantage of when Fox sent a few punches and a roundhouse kick to send him to the ground.

When Fox drew near the guard, the guard suddenly kicked at Fox's legs, sending Fox to the ground. The guard kicked Fox's blaster out of his hand, pointing his own gun at Fox's head. Before he could be shot, Fox slammed his bodyweight into the guard, sending him back to the ground. Fox ran back to snatch his blaster while he had time.

"Who are you working for?!" Fox demanded, aiming his gun at the guard.

The guard looked up at Fox for a second, panting from exhaustion. Then, he quickly dived for his own blaster and shot himself in the head. Fox shook his head, disappointed he wasn't able to learn anything else.

Bill appeared from behind Fox, carrying a blaster of his own. Fox spun around to see his panicked friend.

"I heard gunshots; what happened?!" Bill asked.

"He killed himself," Fox responded, acknowledging the dead body.

"That's a shame; we could have actually learned something…" Bill replied.

"That's what I thought too," Fox agreed.

Bill turned to Fox again. "It wasn't a complete failure, though; Oikonny told us that Star Wolf would know."

It became obvious to Fox at that moment. "This traitor must have been one of the criminals at the Sargasso Space Hideout."

"How do you know?" Bill asked.

"That's where loyal minions to Star Wolf dwell," Fox explained. "He must have known Oikonny would talk, so he arranged himself to be present at the interrogation… He somehow found a way to sneak in and steal a uniform…"

Bill agreed. "You must be right; and at least we still have Oikonny!"

The two headed back for the hangar where Oikonny and Fox's car were. However, they were greeted by an unpleasant surprise: Andrew Oikonny was nowhere to be found.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

After the interrogation and chase, Fox returned to his house on Planet Corneria. Even though it was his only lead, Fox decided he would fly to the Sargasso Space Hideout to find Star Wolf. He needed to pack for the long journey, as his destination was quite distant from Corneria.

His house was quite small, but he didn't care much; it was still a house. Fox cared less about almost everything ever since Krystal had been killed… He felt a tear stain his furry cheek as he packed a picture of him and Krystal together in a passionate hug into his bag.

In addition to the picture, Fox packed clothes and weapons for the journey. He would need to stop at a hotel for the night as it took a long time to arrive, and he was getting a late start. Suddenly, Fox's cell phone began to ring and vibrate against his duffel bag. Curious, he peeked over to see who was calling: Falco Lombardi.

Fox and Falco had been best friends since their days in the Cornerian Flight Academy, before Star Fox. They hadn't talked since Krystal's death… Fox picked up the ringing phone.

"Hello?" Fox started.

"Yo, Foxie!" Falco's usual greeting sounded through the line. "Old Bill told me you were going to the Sargasso Space Hideout to confront Wolf and his team. I want in!"

Fox laughed in response. It was nice to see Falco was his usual self. As soon as the Star Fox days were over, Falco still searched for adventure and pounced on every opportunity given to him.

"I suppose you can tag along, Falco," Fox chuckled. "Good to hear from you again."

"Ya, it's great to hear from you too Fox," Falco resounded. "I figured you might need help; goin' against Star Wolf solo has gotta be bad juju. That… plus I need the exercise."

Fox knew the latter reason was Falco's main purpose. Falco wouldn't normally stop Fox from doing something alone, as he had many times when they were in Star Fox. Falco didn't seem to have changed a bit…

"I need to leave pretty soon," Fox announced. "Could you meet me at the Cornerian Space Academy in about an hour? We need to get a couple of Arwings."

"Sure thing buddy. See ya soon." Falco hung up.

The Cornerian Space Academy and military was run by General Peppy Hare, a former member of the Star Fox team. General Pepper, the previous leader, died from being infected by villainous aliens that invaded the Lylat System known as Aparoids. Shortly before dying, he appointed Peppy as the new General since he retired from the Star Fox team.

Fox would be happy to see Peppy again. Ever since Fox's father, James, had died, Fox looked up to Peppy as a father figure. Fox would be devastated the day he lost Peppy… He was the one that came closest to comforting Fox through Krystal's abrupt death.

Slippy Toad, another former Star Fox member, had opened an auto-mechanic shop with his father Beltino. The two used to invent things for the Cornerian Army and Space Academy; Beltino had been the research director. Since they raised enough money, they went into business and started a successful place together.

About 45 minutes later, Fox arrived at the Cornerian Space Academy with his belongings. It took around a half hour from Fox's house to arrive; Falco was a bit farther away. Shortly before an hour had passed, Falco met Fox at the entrance of the main building.

"We'd better get Peppy to let us rent some Arwings," Falco stated.

"With any luck, he'll give us a discount price," Fox added jokingly.

The two chuckled as they entered the building. Only seconds after they went in, they were greeted by an ecstatic Peppy. Apparently he had conveniently been in the lobby at the right time. Peppy was a stout, grey rabbit with big ears and spectacles across his dark red eyes. He wore an orange jumpsuit and a white lab coat as well as big black boots.

"Fox! Falco! I'm so happy to see you guys again!" The aged hare remarked.

For such an old rabbit, he seemed to still possess some energy.

"It's great to see you too, Peppy," Fox said. "I'm afraid we can't stay to talk right now, though."

Peppy's wide-stretched smile faded slightly, as if he had been hit by a brick in his stomach. "Oh… of course… what was it you needed?"

Fox felt guilty for making him feel bad; Falco stepped up to talk before Fox could apologize.

"We needed a couple of Arwings. Fox and I are headed out for the Sargasso Space Hideout!"

Peppy's eyes grew wide again. "The Sargasso Space Hideout?! Why in the world would you be going there?!"

Fox put a hand to Peppy's shoulder. "Listen Peppy, this is important. I might have a lead to discover who killed Krystal. I won't rest until I find out who did it. This is necessary."

Their eyes locked together; after a moment of silence, Peppy seemed to understand.

"Ok," Peppy decided. "Follow me to the hangar."

The three former team members walked together, led by the old rabbit. Fox and Falco noticed a few changes to the building since the last time they visited, which had been a very long time ago. After a bit of walking, they reached a hangar filled with numerous Arwings.

"Just two then?" Peppy made sure.

"Ya…" Fox confirmed. "I'll rent for a week. How much is that going to cost?"

Peppy turned to Fox with an old smile. "They won't cost ya anything."

While Fox and Falco seemed initially surprised, Peppy chuckled and continued, "Go ahead; they're free to you! Wouldn't you agree saving the galaxy multiple times deserves free usage of Arwings?"

"Thanks Peppy; you're the best!" Falco said, already hopping into one of the Arwings with his luggage.

"Thank you, Peppy," Fox agreed.

Peppy smiled at the two. "Remember to never give up. And trust your instincts."

Fox smiled back, remembering it had been his father's quote. It was something of a motto used in Star Fox as a tribute to James's legacy, since he founded the team in the first place. The cockpits of the Arwings closed, and Fox and Falco zoomed off together into the sky of Corneria.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

**Author's Note: I apologize for my long absence; my laptop crashed a month back, and I'm writing from my iphone right now. Hopefully more progress will come in the near future. I'll give future updates; thank you for your patience readers.**

* * *

****The trip to the Sargasso Space Hideout was long and arduous, just as expected by Fox and Falco. They'd only been there a couple times before, none outside of Star Fox. The Arwings cruised toward their destination, with no promise of arriving anytime soon.

"When are we gonna get there?!" Falco disturbed the peace through Fox's intercom.

"I told you it'd be a two-day trip," Fox replied.

After a pause, Falco remarked, "I hope you're not thinking about sleeping in these Arwings! First time I tried it, not pretty..."

Fox quickly said, "Of course not; we'll stop at the Titornian Spaceport and rent a hotel."

"The Titornian Hotel?!" Falco shrieked. "Isn't that, like, the most fancy and expensive hotel in Lylat?!"

"Nothing we can't afford," Fox reassured his friend. "I still have lots of the money we got before retiring."

"That's a relief, cuz Katt insisted I spend it all on her," Falco chuckled about his girlfriend.

Fox had to laugh too. Katt Monroe wasn't exactly the most selfless person.

"We better get some food first," Fox suggested. "What are you hungry for?"

Silence for a moment, before Falco responded, "Cheeseburger would hit the spot, with some fries on the side. I could eat that stuff every day..."

"Ok; we should arrive soon," said Fox.

Before another hour passed, the two arrived at the Titornian Spaceport. The place looked very similar to Corneria in structure. It was packed with pedestrians, restaurants, hotels, and other buildings. After parking their Arwings, they headed to the nearest restaurant to satisfy their stomaches.

As proposed, Falco devoured a cheeseburger with fries combo. Fox ate a couple slices of pizza. Normally he could split a couple pizzas with Falco, but he never felt that hungry since Krystal's death.

After they finished their dinner, they arrived at the famous Titornian Hotel, which was inevitably crowded. What did surprise Fox was that he saw someone he knew working at the desk: Fara Phoenix.

"Fox!" She cried happily at seeing him.

Fara was a lean, beautiful fox with distinct facial features, including a perfectly-pointed nose. She and Fox went to the Cornerian Flight Academy prior to the Star Fox days. She always had a secret love for him; she and her family moved soon after Fox's father died.

"Fara!" Fox replied. "What a surprise!"

Falco shrugged behind their backs, muttering "Who cares..."

Falco never cared about Fara since she ignored him in the past. Also, she always used to interrupt his conversations with Fox.

"I know!" Fara said. "I missed you a lot! We'll have to catch up! I'll get us a couple rooms!"

Fox noticed Falco was unusually moody as Fara showed him to his room. Fox and Fara walked together to another room across the brightly-lit hallway. They stepped inside the room together, and began to tell each other about their lives.

Fara explained her family had moved here, and her parents currently resided in a distant house in the spaceport. It was a nice, long talk they both enjoyed. Fox told about his life, but left out Krystal...

"That's exciting!" Fara exclaimed. "I wish I had been with you..."

Suddenly, she began to inch closer to Fox. Fox knew she loved him, but he never brought it up before. She brushed her body against his, and began to bring her lips to his.

Fox hesitated, drawing away from his position with her. She looked very startled and sad, taking a couple steps backward.

"I'm sorry," Fox said.

"Did I do something... wrong?" Fara asked.

Fox shut his eyes, blocking a tear dedicated to his fond memories of Krystal.

"It's complicated..." Fox explained.

"I'm sorry..." Fara said this time, eventually leaving his room.

Fox would never betray Krystal, even after death. He cared for Fara, but never the way he could care for Krystal...

_I'm sorry..._


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

Fox stared at the ceiling, wide awake on his bed. He didn't want to talk to Fara about Krystal; she was already sad when Fox had to push her away. It was then Fox realized how alone he was, with no hope of regaining the love he shared with Krystal.

A small noise sounded from Fox's right. Curious, Fox slowly turned his head to find the sound's location. As soon as Fox saw the blaster gun, he rolled as quickly as he could to the left.

Fox ducked under the bed when a few lasers were fired. Scrambling, Fox rapidly made his way across the floor to find Andrew Oikonny throwing the window curtains off him. Fox sent a fist into Oikonny's stomach, temporarily stunning him. Before he could recover, Fox twisted the curtains around Oikonny to trap him.

Following the trap, Fox drove his knee into Oikonny's stomach. Gasping, Oikonny began to unwrap himself, also landing a kick to send Fox backward. Before Oikonny could leave, Fox knocked the gun out of his hand. Once he was up again, Fox began to chase Oikonny through the hotel.

Strange as it may seem, Fox was relieved to find Oikonny again (one way or the other). Hopefully he could get more information.

_He probably followed us here to make sure we didn't get to Star Wolf._ Fox thought.

Then again, why would he have given them out at the interrogation? Maybe it was all a trap...

Fox pursued Oikonny into the foyer, keeping his gun tucked away to get Oikonny alive. Oikonny had a plan however; the two found themselves in the still extremely crowded entrance. Oikonny had blended into the giant group of citizens.

Annoyed, Fox began searching around the crowd for his target.

_How had Oikonny snuck into my room? _Fox needed answers. Looking through the group, Fox couldn't see Oikonny anywhere.

The noise level from the chattering of the citizens was quite loud. However, Fox could have sworn he heard the familiar sound of a gun clicking. A stream of laser fire pelted the wall near Fox, causing the civilians to scream and madly dash at random.

A loud clanking noise suddenly filled with room. Fox turned to see Fara had hit Oikonny over the head with a metal bar. She seemed scared, panting heavily while she looked at Oikonny's unconscious body. Fox noticed he had a blaster in his hand; he must have concealed an extra. Fox ran over to Fara and Oikonny.

"A friend of yours?" Fara teased.

"Oh yah," Fox jokingly replied. "Could you please call the police?"

Fara nodded, and informed the crowd the situation was under control. As they resumed talking, Fox kept watch over Oikonny and Fara phoned the police. Falco came outside to see what the commotion was all about.

"Glad to see the scumbag paid a visit," Falco remarked about Oikonny.

Fox nodded, glad to have Oikonny prisoner once again. The police would soon show up, giving Fox backup. Hopefully he could get some answers...

Once the police came to guard the area, Fox began to question an awakened Oikonny.

"How did you get here? How did you know?" Fox started.

Oikonny sighed, realizing defeat. "When you abducted me from my house, I secretly attached a tracker to your gun. It was miniature, but it still did the trick. I considered I might have to tell you the truth, so I had to find some way to escape. Fortunately that fool that shot me provided my exit. I attached the tracker so I could kill you after giving you the information. I don't care about Star Wolf, but I knew they'd kill me if they found out I told you..."

Fox considered Oikonny's words. It seemed to make sense now...

"So they know about Krystal?" Fox asked.

"Ya. One of my spies in the Sargasso Space Hideout told me about Star Wolf discussing Krystal's death. I promise you I don't know what they know, but it's your best shot," Oikonny explained.

Fox decided to trust Oikonny. What other choice did he have? The police hauled Oikonny into custody again once they finished talking. Oikonny seemed sincere when he spoke...

The following morning, Fox and Falco packed their belongings to set off again. It was hard for Fox bidding Fara goodbye.

"I'll miss you so much..." Fara said.

"Maybe we'll see each other again someday," Fox said.

Of course, Fox also thanked her for taking down Oikonny. Fox would always think of Fara as just a friend, much to her sadness. Fox decided to keep Krystal a secret though, to make sure he didn't hurt her anymore.

Fox and Falco left the hotel to find their Arwings. Nothing could distract them from finishing this task. It was all Fox had to live for...


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

Seeing Fara again was stuck in Fox's head as he and Falco traveled to the Sargasso Space Hideout. It was so unexpected, and Fox regretted it took a turn for the worst. He wished he could explain it to Fara, but he didn't want to make things worse.

"How much longer do you think 'till we get there?" Falco interrupted Fox's thoughts.

"Probably not a whole lot longer," Fox said, noticing more asteroids in the distance.

"Do you reckon Star Wolf is directly related to Krystal's death?" Falco asked.

Fox thought about it for a moment. "I don't think so. Panther seemed to have cared about her too much."

"True that," Falco said, remembering all of Panther's flirting with Krystal. Panther Caroso had always been the self-proclaimed 'ladies-man'.

The two saw the Sargasso Space Hideout after another 2 hours of flight. It would be preferrable if they didn't have to fight with Star Wolf. There was a portal for ships created in the Hideout. Fox and Falco flew their Arwings into the hideout, and were surrounded by several armed thugs upon their landing. A tall, muscular figure stopped them.

"Let them come," Wolf O' Donnell commanded with a grin.

Fox and Falco hopped out of their ships to see Wolf and about 50 guards.

"You've really advanced the security since I last came here, Wolf," Fox said.

"I couldn't have you winning another fight, now could I Fox?" Wolf said smugly.

"We're not interested in fighting you Wolf," Fox explained. "I came for some information, if you're willing to talk."

"Depends on the subject," Wolf said casually.

"Krystal's death," Fox answered.

Wolf seemed to be interested suddenly.

"Leave us," Wolf called off the guards.

Once they cleared out, Falco asked Wolf, "So where's Romeo and Lizard-Boy?"

"Panther and Leon are on break," Wolf replied.

Then he turned to Fox. "How did you know I knew about Krystal?"

"One of Oikonny's men snuck in here and overheard you talking about her death. Oikonny told me," Fox said.

"Blast that ape," Wolf muttered returning to Fox. "Why should I tell you?"

"Nobody wants a war," Fox replied. "Why don't you want to tell me?"

"Ok fine I'll tell you what I know," Wolf started. "What I know is that she was killed by a hired thug. He was just doing what he was told to do for a fat paycheck. Who hired him, unfortunately, I don't know. I got all this information from Leon; he told me he heard about it from the other criminals here. Trust me, it's more reliable than you think."

"What's his name?" Fox asked.

"Tony, but I didn't get the last name," Wolf said. "You'd need to do some research before you got the right one."

Fox nodded, surprised Wolf gave him all this information.

"Thanks, Wolf," Fox said, turning to leave for his Arwing.

Wolf rapidly whipped out his blaster and shot the side of Fox's ship.

"Now that I've told you all this, I'm gonna have to kill you."


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

Fox had been taken by surprise by Wolf's gun upon hearing all the information. Before Wolf could shoot Fox, Falco swiftly knocked the blaster from Wolf's hand, sending random laser-fire at the ceiling. Before Wolf could react, Falco kicked him in the stomach to disable him.

"Get in the Arwings!" Fox and Falco yelled to each other.

Falco climbed into his Arwing when Wolf began to recover. Fox closed the cockpit to his Arwing just as Wolf shot the windshield a couple times. As a distraction, Fox shot a stack of barrels behind Wolf to send them rolling after Wolf. Seizing the moment, Fox and Falco flew out of the hangar.

Fox had to admit he had gotten lucky. It was extremely fortunate Falco had been there; Fox knew he couldn't take down Star Wolf single-handed. However, their relief was about to become short-lived.

A couple minutes after flying away from the Hideout, three Wolfen ships came up behind Fox and Falco. Wolf, Leon, and Panther.

_I should have known he wouldn't give up, _Fox thought.

"When are these knuckle-heads gonna get some sense?!" Falco whined over the intercom.

For Fox and Falco, fighting these guys was a familiar concept. With only two against three, though, the fight would be much harder. Play time was over...

"We'll make the deep, dark, cold space your grave!" Leon cried.

"Don't count on winning this one," Panther said.

"We will take you down!" Wolf roared.

Fox could no longer count how many times he had heard that. All three Wolfens fired their guns as quickly as possible. A barrage of laser-fire surrounded Fox and Falco's Arwings. A few shots clipped Falco's ship.

The two executed a giant loop with their Arwings, sending their enemies in front of them. With the advantage, Fox and Falco returned fire, shooting at Leon's ship first. Before any of the Star Wolf member could react, the power of the Arwings sent Leon's ship hurtling to a nearby planet.

"Blast!" Wolf cried, steering his ship to the left.

Panther got the hint and turned his ship around to face Fox and Falco. All four ships went back and forth, shooting and avoiding laser-fire. Eventually, everyone's ships were beginning to collect damage.

However, the Arwings got the better of the Wolfens eventually. After much fierce fighting, Falco managed to shoot Panther's left wing, rendering him in no condition to fight.

"Hah!" Falco whooped triumphantly when he beat Panther.

Discouraged, Wolf shot at both Fox and Falco crazily with no exact direction. Fox couldn't help but grin with Falco when he knew the battle was over. The Arwings spat fire back at the lone Wolfen, causing plentiful damage.

Eventually, Wolf couldn't fly the ship anymore as it needed repairs. He growled in rage, frustrated he lost to Fox yet again.

"Don't think this is over!" Wolf shouted.

Wolf flew his Wolfen to join Panther in retreat back to the Hideout. They would have to find Leon later. Fox and Falco laughed happily over the intercom.

"Haha! We dominated them!" Falco laughed.

Fox hadn't felt this jubilant in a long time. It was true there was no enemy more fun to defeat than Star Wolf. Not to them at least.

"Yup; we're still good," Fox agreed.

"So what's our next move?" Falco asked

Fox thought for a moment.

"Wolf only gave us the criminal's first name, right?" Fox checked.

"Yah, Tony," Falco confirmed.

Fox smiled. "We find out his last name. And I know just the person to ask."


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

As Fox and Falco rode their Arwings back to Corneria, Fox remembered Krystal's death. He had proposed to her the night before she died. To Fox, nothing could ever compare to the happiness of being with her...

The following night, she headed out for a couple of errands. There were a few traces of her blood found by the police in a dark alleyway. An old monkey said he saw a tall, thin dog murder Krystal. However, her body was never found. Everyone assumed Tony hid it somewhere.

Nobody but the criminals of the Sargasso Space Hideout, and now Fox and Falco, knew who did it. He must have taken off to a different planet after his crime. Fox wondered why someone would hire him to kill her...

Despite being involved with conflict a lot, Fox couldn't think of any enemies he had that would do that. He could never sleep well again until he caught the one truly responsible. Tony was just a hired gun; Fox wanted the one truly responsible as well.

Fox and Falco spent another night in a hotel, but went to a different one this time; Fox didn't feel comfortable around Fara right now. She was so nice, he would never want to purposefully hurt her. After the break, Fox and Falco traveled back to Corneria.

"Do you think he'll be surprised?" Falco asked.

They had been discussing about how they would track down Tony. Fox knew the person to ask: Beltino Toad, the research director of Corneria. He was working with his son, Slippy, a former Star Fox member, at the Cornerian Army Center. They created inventions at their autoshop in addition to helping the army.

"Not sure; I haven't seen him in a while," Fox said. "But if anyone knows how to find Tony, it's Beltino."

Eventually, the two made it back to Corneria, relieved to be home for a little while. They returned to the Flight Academy first. As expected, Peppy came to greet them.

"I'm so glad you two made it back in one piece!" Peppy said.

"Sorry, but we'll need to keep these," Fox said, gesturing at the Arwings.

"Don't worry about it," Peppy shrugged. "I just hope you're being careful..."

Before Fox could reply, Falco said, "We need to see Beltino Toad."

"He should be available," Peppy said. "He leaves for home in a couple of hours I think. You should find him in the research facility."

"Thank you," Fox replied, and he and Falco left the hangar.

Navigating through the Space Academy was no problem since Fox and Falco had done it several times in their youth. After some jogging, they found the research facility. They saw a group of typists and Beltino inside. He was a stout, olive-green frog with a pointed mustache, yellow glasses, and a lab uniform. He looked up from his computer to see them.

"Fox! Falco! What a delight it is to see you again!" Beltino welcomed them.

"It's good to see you too," Fox replied. "We need your help tracking someone down."

Beltino looked surprised. "Who would this someone be?"

"The man who killed Krystal," Fox answered. "All we know is that his first name is Tony. We were wondering if you could narrow it down."

"Sure thing," Beltino said shakily.

Beltino searched for criminals named Tony. About 10 popped up. The screen read 6 were in the Sargasso Space Hideout, and 3 were in prison. The last one looked like the old monkey's description, and said he was on Planet Zonness. His last name was Rorok.

"Wait," Falco started, "if you have this machine, why didn't you tell the police?"

Beltino smiled weakly. "I tried, but no one would listen to me. They didn't believe the technology existed, but I created this to find anyone in Lylat. As you can imagine it took some time, but with personal info such as credit card numbers or fingerprints or something else, it's been running all right. Slippy and I have tested it before, mind you, so we know that it works."

"That's a shame," Fox said. "I believe you, Beltino."

"Thanks!" Beltino laughed. "I try..."

"We gotta go now; sorry," Falco announced.

As they dashed for the door, Beltino yelled "Good luck!"

So Zonness was to be their next destination... It had been years since Fox or Falco had been there. They spent the night in Corneria while having their Arwings fixed from the Star Wolf skirmish. It felt nice for both of them to be back in their houses for the night. Fox had many thoughts as he lied in bed.

_Where exactly would he be? Will he have backup? Who hired him...? _Fox was hoping he could make some important progress the next day.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

"Come here, love!" Krystal called to Fox.

She laughed happily as she pulled Fox's shirt collar to kiss him. Fox had just proposed to her. They smiled and laughed, more jubilant than they had ever been in their whole lives. It was the main thing both of them had always wanted most.

They were at Fox's house, and fell together on the same bed Fox always slept on. They hugged, kissed, and cuddled together to show their love. Fox was so happy, he didn't even consider the possibility of losing it all.

They slept together that night, close as could be. Fox knew he could never feel this way about any other girl. Krystal was so special, and the one person he could nearly always relate to.

Fox and Krystal never dated that much, since the missions in Star Fox almost always kept them busy. It was after the Anglar War the team finally disbanded when Fox announced he wanted to settle down. In time maybe a new Star Fox team could be built, but all the major threats had been cleared, and Fox needed to retire.

He had loved Krystal from the start, ever since he rescued her on Planet Sauria in the middle of his career. Over the years they found out more about each other, bringing them closer with every word they said to one another. They both lost their parents to the same madman. They were both lonely and without family. They were meant to be together...

Krystal promised to come back soon from her errands to Fox. She kissed his cheek and said goodbye, and Fox counted on seeing her beautiful face again soon. To say the least, he was in distress to find out he would never see that beautiful face again.

Fox awoke in a cold sweat. He remembered dreaming about the events; the happiest and worst of his life. The memories from laughter to crying flooded Fox's mind. He buried his face in his hands, and slowly began to cry once more.

The next morning, Fox woke up again to pack his things again for the next trip. The dreams and memories of Krystal hurt him so bad, it made him sick. Things could never be the same, and that would forever torture Fox.

He felt utterly alone and depressed when he finished packing and saw the picture of him and Krystal hugging tightly. He never wanted to let go of her. All he wanted was to spend a peaceful, relaxing life with the woman who loved him equally, but that wish never came true.

That's why he had to do this. He had to confront Tony. He had to find the one truly responsible for her death. It was the only way he could obtain any form of satisfaction, let alone a good reason to live.

Falco gave Fox a call.

"I'm at the Academy; meet me at that hangar!" He said quickly.

"Sorry I got a late start," Fox began, "I'll be there soon."

Fox switched off his phone and grabbed his suitcase, filled with clothes, guns, and some other essentials. He took a deep breath before going to his car to drive back to the Academy.

Once he arrived at the hangar, he found Falco, Beltino, and Peppy waiting. Fox felt glad to see them, especially Peppy. Fox also noticed the repairs on his and Falco's Arwings had been made.

"We finished repairing your ships..." Beltino pointed out.

Fox suddenly turned to Falco. "I want you to rest up and stay here for now."

Falco looked surprised. "Huh? Why?"

"Well... I feel like I should do this alone..." Fox tried to explain.

He was fine with Falco's company, but this task was much more personal. Fox didn't want Falco in the crossfire this time. Fortunately, Falco could tell what Fox was thinking.

"OK, buddy. I understand. If you need any help, just call," Falco said with a smile.

Typically he jumped at any chance to get action, but Falco agreed with Fox's choices. Peppy stepped forward to pat Fox on the shoulder.

"Be careful; this guy is a lethal assassin. I need you to come back in one piece," Peppy said sincerely with a fatherly tone.

"I promise I will," Fox replied.

Peppy nodded as Fox headed for his Arwing. Fox and Peppy were just as close to each other as Fox had been with his father. Fox turned to see them one more time.

"Slippy says good luck!" Beltino shouted, remembering Slippy's message since he was busy today.

Fox flew out of the hangar in the direction of Zoness. He felt more motivation surge through him again in memory of Krystal. He would not fail.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

Fox's Arwing was flying fast through outer space after leaving Corneria. He would need to call Beltino again to find out exactly where Tony would be on Zoness. Fox didn't have a start other than the planet.

It was certainly a lot lonelier without Falco, but Fox thought it best to face Tony alone. This mission was much more personal than any other in Fox's life. Fox could never have a good night's rest again until he delivered justice to the people responsible for Krystal's death.

It was not a short trip to Zoness. While not as far out as the Sargasso Space Hideout, it was not that close to Corneria. Fox hadn't been there since the Lylat Wars, but he had a map programmed into his Arwing to find the planet.

Several thoughts traveled through Fox's mind; about Tony, about finding who hired him... Fox wouldn't kill Tony unless he had to; it was more important to find out who wanted Krystal dead. Tony was just a gun-for-hire; he didn't care who he killed so long as a paycheck was waiting.

After a few hours of repetitive flying, the indigo-colored Planet Zoness came into sight. Fox drove his Arwing into the planet, ready for action. He quickly found a landing strip to park before hopping out to feel the ground.

Zoness was a stormy, dark planet. It had already been through its worst times, and was still being rebuilt since the Lylat Wars. It rained 90% of the time, almost always accompanied by lightning. Fox took out his phone to call Beltino.

"Need something, Fox?" Beltino picked up.

"Is there any way you can narrow down Tony's location?" Fox asked.

"Hmm..." Beltino thought. "I could try to see if anyone he knows is on Zoness."

After a few minutes on his computer, Beltino came back to respond to Fox. "One Zaroff Jones lives at 7483 Reddy Road. Says he's close friends with Rorok."

"Thanks, Beltino," Fox said before hanging up.

Fox got some instructions from a nearby merchant before heading to Reddy Road. Fortunately it wasn't far, so Fox left his Arwing where it was. Once he navigated through the bleak gray streets, he managed to find Zaroff's house.

Trying the calm approach first, Fox knocked on the door gently. A ratty-looking dog answered the door.

"What do you want?!" Zaroff yelled.

"I believe you know who Tony Rorok is," Fox started.

"'Course I do," Zaroff said, spitting on the ground.

"Do you know where he is right now?" Fox asked.

"Ya; why should I tell you?" Zaroff replied.

Fox pinned the dog against the wall, and pointed his blaster at his temple.

"Because I said please," Fox smiled.

Gulping, Zaroff answered, "Ok! Ok! He's at the Magutrox Bar, east of here!"

Fox released his grip on Zaroff, and began to walk away. Before Fox could leave the driveway, a barrage of machine gun lasers pounded the ground around him. Fox whipped around to see Zaroff holding machine gun and running at him.

Before he could attack, Fox kneed Zaroff in the stomach to disable him. Fox attempted opening Zaroff's car door next to him; it was unlocked, and the keys were inside! Fox jumped in and locked the doors when Zaroff tried shooting at him. The back window's glass was shattered; Fox reversed the car to make Zaroff move. Fox drove the car away as Zaroff continued shooting at his car. Fox escaped.

It was lucky Fox had a car to use now. Fox wasn't expecting Tony to be as weak as his friend. Direction signs on the road helped Fox find his way to the Magutrox Bar.

Several pedestrians gave strange looks at the broken back window, but Fox was used to it by now. He pulled Zaroff's car up to the neon-lit Magutrox Bar. It appeared to be quite crowded.

When Fox opened the decrepit door to the bar, he noticed many shady figures. Most of them were likely felons in some way. There were breaking glasses, loud laughing, and other noises expected in a bar.

Fox searched around the joint to find Tony. He saw characters of all kinds, from scronny cats to giant dogs, most with uninviting looks. Fox's heart nearly stopped when he saw Tony.

Tony was drinking a beer at a counter by himself. He had grown a lot more muscular since he murdered Krystal. His eyes were as red as blood, his face as cold as ice.

Fox casually took a seat next to him at the counter. Tony craned his head to see Fox.

"Hello, stranger," Tony welcomed Fox in a low-pitched voice.

"I shouldn't be a stranger to you. I know my fiancee wasn't when you killed her," Fox began harshly.

Tony looked dumbstruck for a moment, before a sarcastic smile took over his ugly face. "Whoa whoa, hang on a second! What are you talkin' about?"

"You killed her, and you know it," Fox said.

Tony chuckled. "I've killed a lot of people."

"Maybe you remember a beautiful, blue vixen?" Fox asked.

Tony paused for a moment, then asked "Are you talking about Krystal?!"

"Of course. How did you know her name?" Fox said.

"Boss told me," Tony shrugged. "But I didn't kill her..."

Now it was Fox's turn to be dumbstruck. "But there was a witness!"

"I paid him off to say I killed her," Tony explained. "My boss said that I should bring her alive..."

"Where is she?!" Fox demanded.

As soon as the words came out of Fox's mouth, Tony bolted for the door. Fox immediately took pursuit. The chase was on.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

Some of the criminals in the bar jumped out of the way when they saw the two running. Tony was fast, but Fox was no slower. Tony threw the door open, running out under the stormy sky. Fox slipped through the door and continued to chase after him.

Tony pulled out a blaster, firing at Fox while running. The laser-fire came up short and found only the road on either side of Fox. They eventually came to a construction site.

Tony dashed up the entrance stairs; the place was a mess of bricks and planks. Cautiously, Fox slowly walked up the wooden stairs after Tony. Instinctively, Fox doubled back as soon as more laser-fire came spitting at him from Tony's blaster.

Fox knew he was a good shot, so he thought of a new idea. He walked back up the stairs again, this time concentrating his own blaster. When Tony popped out again, Fox managed to shoot his gun and destroy Tony's blaster.

Tony ran away from Fox as soon as he lost his weapon. Fox ran up the stairs all the way to find Tony and himself on the wooden planks. Tony made the first move, kicking Fox's gun away from them.

Fox returned with a hard punch to Tony's jaw. It was followed up with several punches to Tony's ribs. Tony blocked a punch to his face and hit Fox back.

Both of them were trying to avoid losing their balance. One bad step and they could plummet to a nasty fall. Tony began to advance on Fox.

Fox barely avoided a kick from Tony that could have been serious. Fox came back with a roundhouse kick of his own. He timed it perfectly; Tony fell through a giant crate below.

Fox walked back down the stairs to find Tony. Shocked, Fox was caught off guard when Tony recovered immediately and kicked Fox in retaliation. They continued to exchange punches, both of them becoming battered.

Tony broke the chain by elbowing Fox in the stomach; he attempted to run away once he saw his opportunity. Fox was too determined to give up, however. Fox got back up and chased Tony again.

They ran to a nearby dock, leaving the construction site behind. Tony was fast, but Fox was faster. When they reached a bridge, Fox tackled Tony to the ground, proceeding to punch him repeatedly. Tony returned with a couple of his own punches to Fox's cheek. Fox caught the third and shoved Tony against the bridge wall.

"Is Krystal still alive?!" Fox abruptly demanded.

Tony looked tired. "I... I don't know..."

Fox kicked him to the ground; Tony scrambled away. Behind them was a huge drop into the water below, with sharp rocks all around. Backing away, Tony suddenly slipped on the edge of the bridge.

He caught onto the ledge just in time to save himself. He was panting now, scared for his life.

"Who is your boss?" Fox shouted.

Tony couldn't climb back up; he was stuck. He had lost. He looked at Fox with pleading eyes, his grip on the ledge lessening.

"Who took Krystal?!" Fox demanded.

Tony looked at Fox one final time, with panicked eyes.

"Ph...Phoenix..." Tony gasped.

Before Fox had time to react, Tony released his grip, and began his fall. He screamed as his head was run through by a pointed rock below. His lifeless body was dragged to the depths of the ocean.

Fox was shocked. _Phoenix?!_

Before he had more time to think, something hard hit Fox on the back of his head. His eyes rolled, and he fell to the ground unconscious.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

Fox woke up an hour or so later. The first thing he saw was Wolf O'Donnell, Leon Powalski, and Panther Caroso playing cards at a table across from him. Leon noticed Fox wake up first.

"Finally; I thought he'd never wake up," Leon remarked.

The Star Wolf members threw down their cards and walked toward Fox. Fox took in his surroundings; a few boxes, cement floor, high ceiling, big doors; no mistaking it was a warehouse. Fox also noticed a couple of fork-lifter vehicles. He was tied up by thick rope.

"So... You knocked me out?" Fox asked Wolf.

"I did the dirty work," Leon answered. "You know too much now, thanks to 'Blabbermouth Rorok.'"

"Why do you care? You weren't his boss, were you?" Fox wondered.

"Of course not," Wolf said. "When we heard Tony had been hired to kidnap Krystal, though, we knew his employer meant business. We found out his employer was Thomas Phoenix."

Fox suddenly remembered Tony saying Phoenix. So it was Fara's father? But why?

"Why did Thomas want Krystal? What was your motivation?" Fox asked next.

"Thomas said he had some bad history with Krystal, so he wanted revenge," Wolf explained. "Leon, Panther, and I wanted to clear the bounty off our heads, as you can imagine. So Thomas said he would so long as we helped conceal his identity."

"Did he kill Krystal...?" Fox asked.

"How should we know?" Wolf shrugged. "I don't care so long as he keeps his word. And now, we have to kill you. I wish I could say it's been nice knowing you."

The Star Wolf members began to advance on Fox. Leon pulled out a knife while Wolf and Panther took out their blasters. Fox thought for sure this was the end...

Just then, shards of glass flew in all directions. The Star Wolf members fell backward, shielding their eyes. Fox grinned when he recognized Slippy and Falco's Arwings had crashed through the roof of the warehouse. When the ships landed on the cement, Slippy and Falco hopped out to approach Fox.

"Just one question; how?" Fox asked, still smiling.

"We got worried about you since you weren't moving when we had my dad track you," Slippy said. "So we figured you could use some help, and it turns out we were right!"

"I can't thank you enough, my friends," Fox panted as Falco cut the rope with a pocket knife.

"Save it so we can beat these creeps," Falco pointed at the Star Wolf members.

Fox nodded, rejuvenated to be with his fellow teammates. Slippy and Panther faced off in the fork-lifts, while Falco fought Leon and Fox fought Wolf hand-to-hand. Since they had been taken by surprise, Star Wolf was not nearly as tough this time.

Fox noticed after a while, Slippy managed to ram Panther's fork-lift into the wall. The impact knocked Panther out. At some point during Falco's brawl, he knocked Leon out by smashing his head into a metal crate.

Wolf could not land many hits on Fox. They were still evenly matched in fighting skills. Fox and Wolf continued to punch and kick each other, trying to gain an upper hand. Once Panther and Leon were finished, Slippy and Falco came to Fox's aid. Wolf wisely surrendered, grunting in frustration.

"I think it's time you get some new teammates," Falco said.

"We're sending you all back to prison," Fox said.

Fortunately, Wolf knew when he was defeated. When they got Wolf handcuffed, they dragged Leon and Panther into their Arwings and handcuffed them as well. Fox took a deep breath; he was close to finishing what he started...

Fox guided Falco and Slippy back to where he parked his Arwing. Fox felt conflicted about Fara's father being responsible.

_What could Krystal have done to make Thomas so angry?_

Fox hoped he could find the answers as he traveled back to Corneria.


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

Fox knew he should feel happy he knew who was responsible for taking Krystal and capturing Star Wolf, but he was far from it. He felt very depressed to hear Fara's father was the culprit. It was so unexpected, and so unfair...

It hung in his head all the way back to Corneria. Fortunately Leon and Panther remained unconscious for most of the trip, and Wolf didn't cause trouble. Fox didn't know how he would be able to explain it all to Fara...

Once they got back to Corneria, Fox, Falco, and Slippy brought the Star Wolf members to the same jail as Oikonny. It was relieving to have them locked up.

"Have fun with Oikonny!" Falco yelled at them sarcastically.

On the way to Peppy's hangar, Fox explained everything that happened to Slippy and updated Falco. They both seemed shocked when he finished.

"Gosh, I can't believe it was Fara's dad!" Slippy cried.

Meanwhile, Falco snapped, "I told you there was something wrong with the Phoenixes!"

Fox was so nervous about how to confront Thomas. He didn't want to hurt him, but he could never let Krystal's capture pass. He decided he would ask Peppy for advice.

At least Wolf, Leon, Panther, and Oikonny were all behind bars, and Tony was dead. The less criminals to worry about the better. Only one remained...

Once again, Peppy was already in the hangar to greet them. Slippy ran back to Beltino's room while Fox and Falco hung behind.

"So... How did it go?" Peppy asked.

Fox explained everything to his old friend, just as he had done with Slippy. Peppy seemed surprised by a lot.

"I can't believe all that happened!" He exclaimed.

"I barely can myself," Fox agreed. "It won't be easy confronting Fara's father... What should I do?"

Peppy thought for a moment. "First you should find out if Krystal is really dead or not. Ask him of his intentions for kidnapping her. Be cautious and wise with all your moves. I can't tell you how exactly to take him down, you must figure that out..."

"I'm just so nervous about it, Peppy..." Fox said.

Peppy rested a hand on Fox's shoulder, smiling brightly. "You know how proud I am of you, and how proud your father would be. I know you'll make the right choice..."

And then, they both hugged each other. Fox held back his tears; he felt like he was hugging his father. No one treated Fox like Peppy...

"Thanks, Pep," Fox smiled weakly.

"Well... I know you'll do well. Trust your instincts, and never give up!" Peppy said again with a grin.

Fox and Falco went back to Beltino. They had to track down Thomas Phoenix. They found Slippy talking with Beltino when they arrived.

"We need you to track down one last place, Beltino," Fox said.

"Sure thing; Thomas Phoenix?" Beltino asked.

"How'd you know?" Falco wondered.

"Slippy told me all about it," Beltino stated, looking up his target.

The screen displayed Thomas's location.

"Says he lives in a mansion in northeast Fortuna. His home is completely alone..." Beltino said.

Fox recorded the coordinates so he could find it easily. He turned to all of them.

"I want you to stay here, Slippy," Fox said. "You can come if you want, Falco."

"I have your back, buddy," Falco replied. "Besides, Star Wolf gave you trouble last night."

Fox nodded, and he left the room with Falco.

"Best of luck!" Slippy and Beltino shouted after them.

They began their journey to Fortuna. No more waiting. It was time to end his quest...

Fortuna was a lush, grass-coated planet. The Star Fox team had been there at the start of the Aparoid Invasion trying to capture Oikonny... Back when Krystal was with them...

It would have been nice to take in the beauty of the planet, if not for the pressuring circumstances. Eventually they located the big mansion. Thomas's house...

Fox and Falco were shocked to discover Krystal's old Arwing next to another! It must have been taken by Tony as well. Fox and Falco parked theirs beside the others.

"I wonder why he wanted it..." Falco said.

"Maybe we'll find out," Fox said.

As expected, the door was locked when Falco tried to open it. It was a spectacular mansion, huge and mostly mahogany-colored. Falco turned to Fox.

"Ready?" Falco asked.

"Ready," Fox confirmed.

They took a deep breath, and kicked the door to the mansion open.


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

The door fell to the ground; Fox and Falco had put a lot of force behind their kicks. The mansion was coated with fancy furniture, including beautiful couches and vivid red carpet. Fara Phoenix was sitting on one of the couches, staring at Fox.

Fox and Falco returned her gaze with confused looks. There were many doors in the mansion; who knows what was behind all of them! Falco's confusion turned to anger, and Fox suddenly looked sad.

"Fara?" Fox asked. "Do you live here?"

"No... this is my father's house. He's gone for now..." Fara replied.

"Where is he?!" Falco snapped.

"That's not your concern, I think," Fara said suspiciously.

Fox looked confused again. "Why do you think I'm here?"

Fara's eyes grew bigger. "I know why you're here. You thought my father killed Krystal..."

Before Fox could speak again, Falco shouted, "What?! How did you know?!"

"Because I'm the one that kidnapped Krystal..." Fara replied.

The words hit Fox like a slap. He was shocked and saddened at the same time. How? Why?

Fox tried to find words as Falco gasped.

Fara continued, "Perhaps I should explain... Fox, I knew all about Krystal. I have my sources. I thought you would move on when she was pronounced dead."

Fox finally spoke. "So... You kidnapped her to be with me?"

Fara smiled. "Fox, I love you more than anything. I did this for us!"

Fox felt terrible. He never expected something like this to happen...

"How did you know we'd be here?" Falco asked.

"Wolf contacted me while he had Fox unconscious," Fara explained. "I had them lie to say it was my father that did it. I also made sure they wouldn't kill Fox; they were bluffing the whole time..."

"When I learned about Krystal, I knew she'd be in the way of me and my love! So I hired Tony to kidnap her for me and I could personally take revenge... I knew it would be a good idea to pay off any bystanders to say she was killed by Tony."

"Revenge?!" Fox suddenly snapped. "What did she ever do to you?!"

"She kept us apart, love," Fara answered.

"When Star Wolf heard about it, I lied to them, telling them I'd clear the bounty off their heads so that they kept my identity secret. I didn't want you to find out it was me, Fox..." Fara said. "I knew you'd be at the hotel, because Oikonny told me you were headed for Star Wolf! He knew I took Krystal all along; he was a setup at the hotel. I didn't really work there, but I thought it would be a perfect cover-up."

"You know I've always loved you, Fox," Fara continued. "Even more than Krystal."

Fox became angry. "That's where you're most wrong! If you loved me at all you wouldn't have laid a hand on Krystal! She loves me more than you ever could!"

Fara seemed offended, her eyes becoming sad. "Don't talk like that, love! Krystal is gone anyway!"

Fox flipped a table near Fara on its side, enraged. "What did you do to her?!"

"Getting rid of her was the only way we could be together!" Fara explained, gulping.

"Did you kill her?!" Fox demanded.

"What does it matter! Now we can be together!" Fara retorted.

"Forget it, Fara," Fox rejected her.

Falco stood there next to Fox, in disbelief the whole time. Fara seemed almost surprised. Heartbroken...

"You... Don't love me?" She cried.

Fox remained silent. The answer was obvious. Fara's eyes showed multiple emotions, including madness, depression, and fright. She finally understood she could not win.

"Then..." Fara began, "I have no will to live... Goodbye..."

She revealed a lighter at that moment. This brand was made to catch a huge area on fire. She threw it at her feet, and lit up quickly to her death.

Seconds later, the fire began to latch onto multiple objects. A sudden explosion erupted in front of Fox and Falco; temporarily blinded, they realized the lighter's fire was partially explosive.

When they regained their sight, they noticed one of the doors of the mansion had come off, probably blown up by an explosion. The fire spread everywhere throughout the mansion, in remarkable speed. Fox and Falco coughed, and turned to leave the burning house.

Fox took one last look at Fara's burnt corpse. He felt a tear stain his cheek.

_Why...?_

Fox and Falco made a dash out of the place, running out the doorway as a pile of rubble sealed the entrance. Something felt different when they were outside again, but they didn't have time to think about it.

Fox made his way into his Arwing while Falco climbed into his. They took off into the sky of Fortuna, leaving the mansion and Fara behind forever...


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

Minutes later, the entire Phoenix Mansion was in shambles. It hurt Fox to even think about the dilapidated building, with Fara inside... He never really knew who she was.

Fox and Falco were still coughing from all the smoke in their Arwings. They were tired and depressed. There was nothing left to do...

Fox was still trying to recover from the shock of Fara's true identity. The smart, kind-hearted pilot he used to know had become a selfish, cold-hearted criminal. Fox could never forgive himself for losing Krystal...

He could only assume Krystal had been killed. Fara never said if she had killed Krystal or not, but where else could she be? Fox came to the grave assumption that his vendetta had been nothing but more pain...

"I'm sorry, Fox," Falco broke the dismal silence.

"It's not your fault..." Fox replied.

"I know," said Falco. "I just wanted the best for my friend..."

"Thanks, Falco," Fox said. "I just thought I could be satisfied when I found Krystal's kidnapper... Nothing seemed to work out in the end."

They continued to fly their Arwings silently back to Corneria. Why couldn't something have gone right? Why did things have to turn out the way they did?

Fox reflected upon his quest. He thought after all he had been through, he would have been rewarded in some way. Discovering it was Fara's fault made everything seem worse. It wasn't love; it had been blind selfishness.

Fox thought about his final moments with her. He was so pained not only to find out she had taken Krystal, but she had been a different person. Then Fox thought back to the burning mansion.

He remembered something had felt very different when they left.

_What was it...?_

It was something to do with the environment...

Fox's eyes suddenly lit up as he remembered what was different: Krystal's Arwing was gone! Only the other ship was there when he and Falco left! Fox's face broke into a wide smile as his ship's monitor showed another Arwing following him home.

* * *

**A/N: And so concludes what I consider my best story yet! After my third story, I went through a hiatus on FanFic. I'm truly grateful to say my support only grew a lot when I returned, and I'm so happy that I did! Having said that, I would like to thank: ShiverIntheLight, Lylat Legend, bryan mccloud, Troy Groomes, Calise Serana, Cpt. Fox, and Jedelas for all your support! I would also like to thank Cheesebomb30, for being a good friend even though he's been inactive for a while. Thanks again everyone, and I hope you enjoyed the story! :D**


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